Hand stamp for cancelling postage stamps and the like



Oct, 25, 1960 P. A. TRAPHAGEN 2,957,410

HAND STAMP FOR CANCELLING POSTAGE STAMPS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 5, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 us E INVENTOR.

PE TE R A. 'r RAPHAGEN ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1960 P. A. TRAPHAGEN 2,957,410

HAND STAMP FOR CANCELLING POSTAGE STAMPS AND THE LIKE.

Filed Aug. 5, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 12

Hall

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PE TER A. TKAPHAGEN BY ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1960 P. A. TRAPHAGEN 2,957,410

HAND STAMP FOR CANCELLING POSTAGE STAMPS AND THE LIKE Fi-l ed Aug. 5, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. PETER A rs/amass:

Y 84M KM ATTORNEY United States Patent HAND STAMP FOR CANCELLING POSTAGE STAMPS AND THE LIKE Peter A. Traphagen, 1146 Chestnut Hill Drive, Erie, Pa.

Filed Aug. 5, 1959, Ser. No. 831,786

21 Claims. (Cl. 101-110).

This invention relates to hand stamps and, more particularly, to the type of hand stamp commonly used in post offices for cancelling postage stamps.

Previous hand stamps of the type disclosed herein have a roller or drum with indicia thereon on the outer periphery thereof forprinting. The drum is generally freelyrotatable in a handle. Therefore, when the user lifts the roller or drum from the paper at the end of cancelling one group of stamps, the roller remains in the position at which it stopped when the user lifted it from the paper. Then when the device wa brought into engagement with another paper or set of stamps, the indicia on the outer periphery would start to print at the position it stopped and it might start printing in the middle of a word. For example, if the words Washington, D.C. were inscribed on the roller,.the roller might start printing in the middle of one of the words; for example, it might print ashington, D.C.,. thus giving a result which was unworkmanlike in appearance.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a printing roller which will be self-indexing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a printing roller supported in a handle which will always be turned to a predetermined position after use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved printing roller and handle therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a magnetic indexing device for a printing roller.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide a printing roller which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and simple and efficient to operate.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointedout in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions,

and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing-any of the advantages of the invention; a

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial top view of a stamping device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial side view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial front view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. ,4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; V

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view similar to. that shown in Fig. 4 of another embodiment of the invention.

''Fig. 6 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Fi 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the magnet assembly used inthe embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6;

Fig. a longitudinal cross sectional view of another embodiment of the invention; a

Patented Oct. 25, 1960 hce 9 is a side view of one of the magnets used in 1g.

Fig. 10 is a side view of another magnet used in the device shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a partial top view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 12 is a side view of one of the magnets used in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view of the roller die shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a cross sectional view taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15 shows another embodiment of the magnets shown in Figs. 5, 9, and 12.

Now with more specific reference to the drawings, in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a stamp canceller 10 has a roller 12 supported between the two legs of a frame 11. The roller 12 is rotatably supported on an axle 13 which has a head 15 extending therethrough. A slot 26 has a groove therein which receives snap rings 14. The snap ring 14 overlies a washer 21. The end axle 13 is disposed outwardly of the snap ring 14 and the washer 21.

A C-shaped magnet 18 is supported against a brass washer 19 which is attached to the frame 11 by means of cement or solder indicated at 20. The roller 12 has attached thereto a C-shaped magnet 18 and a washer 19'. The washer 19' forms a non-magnetic space between the roller 12 and the magnet 18'. The roller 12 has printing indicia 17 thereon for rolling ink onto a paper or postage to be cancelled to form letters thereon. Washers 16 are disposed between the roller 12 and the frame 11. Washers 16' are placed between the C-magnets 18 and 18' and thus cause the roller 12 to operate more freely. An inking roll 22 is supported on an axle 25 and a washer 23 overlies the end thereof and is held in place by meansof a snap ring.

When it is desired to operate the device, it is picked up-and, in this position, the roller 12 will move to the end of the slot as shown and the repelling and attracting forces of the poles of the magnet will exert a torsional force on the roller 12 and cause the roller 12 to'be rotated. As the roller12 is brought down into contact with the'paper and moves forward, it will force its axle 13 to move up through the slot 26 until the outside. periphery of the roller 12 comes into engagement with the roll 22. As the rotation continues, ink from the roll 22 will be deposited on the indicia on the roller 12 and from there to the paper. It will be noted that since the magnets 18 and 18' exert a force on each other tocause the roller 12- to move to a single position, the roller 12 will always start printing at a given position.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a roller 112 is shown supported by means of an axle 113 on a frame 111. .A washer 121 is received on the end of the axle 113 and held in place by means of a snap ring 114 supported in a groove in the end thereof. Printing indicia 117 is formed on the roller 112 and washers 116 are disposed between the ends of the roller 112 and the frame 111. The axle 113 has a head on the opposite end of the snap ring 114.

A bar magnet 119. is supportedon the frame 111 by cement or the like. Pole pieces .120 which are made of iron are fixed to the end of the magnet 119 and to the frame 111. .A key 118 made of iron is supported in a groove 124 in the non-magnetic roller 112. A weight 122 made of a material such as lead is supported in a bore in the roller 112 opposite the key 118. Holes 123 are formed in the roller 112 to reduce the weight on the opposite side from the weight 122 and thus unbalance the roller'112. a Inuse, when theroller 112' is lifted out of contact with the paper, gravity will cause the weight 122 to seek the lowermost position and as the key 118 passes the magnet 119, it will be magnetically attracted and held thereby so that the roller 112 will always be stopped at the same position.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, a printing device is shown having a frame 211 with a printing roller 212 supported therein on an axle 213 which has a head 215 on one end thereof. The other end of the axle 213 has a slot, a snap ring 214 in the slot, and a washer on the axle 213. Weights 222 are inserted into the roller 212 and holes 223 are formed in the opposite side to unbalance it. A steel slug 221 is set into each end of the roller 212 which is made of magnetic material. A magnet 218 has pole pieces 220 attracted to the steel slug 221 as the roller passes in its rotation when the roller 212 is lifted from the paper. The weights 222 unbalance the roller 212 to shift it to a lowermost position. Therefore, the indicia 217 on the roller 212 will always be stopped in one position. The frame 211 has similar slots 226 and an ink roller as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 8, 9, and show a roller 312 having indicia 317 thereon with a peripheral groove 325 formed in each end. The roller 312 has a bore 326 therein and is supported on an axle 313. The axle 313 has a head 3'15 at one end and a washer 316 on the other end which is held in place by means of a snap ring 314. The snap ring 314 is supported in a groove in the end of the axle 313.

A magnet 324 is attached to a frame 311 by means of glue indicated at 320. The magnet 324 has a slot 323 to match a slot 322 in the frame 311 for receiving the axle 313. A non-magnetic washer 319 forms a gap between magnets 324 and 318. The magnet 318 is attached to and insulated from the roller 312 by the glue 320 and a non-magnetic washer 321. A washer 316 is disposed between the opposite ends of the roller 312 and the frame 311.

The magnets 324 and 318 are magnetized as shown. Therefore, when the device is lifted from the paper, the magnetically induced poles will repel each other and the roller 312 will, therefore, be rotated to a single position. The grooves 325 prevent stray flux from passing through the roller 312.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14, a stamp canceller 410 is shown having a frame 411 supporting a magnetic shield 427, a roller die 412, and an ink roll 422 between the legs thereof.

The ink roll 422 is suspended between the legs of the frame 411 and held in position by an axle 413 passing through holes in the frame 411, a sleeve spacer 421, the ink roll 422, and washers 416. The axle 413 has a flange type head 415' on one end thereof and a groove to receive a snap ring 414 on the other end to hold the axle 413 and the ink roll 422 in position relative to the roller die 412.

The legs of the frame 411 have elongated slots 446 and 452 therein to receive axle pins 423 and 424 and a base 451 of the shield 427'. The slots 446 and 452 allow the roller die 412 to move into engagement with the ink roll 422 and disengage the ink roll 422 when not in use. The axle pin 424 extends through the slot 452 in the frame 411, a washer 425, and into a threaded counterbore 450 in the roller die 412 as shown in Fig. 13.

The slot 446'is somewhat longer and wider than the slot 452 and it receives a boss 451 of each end shield 427. The end shield 427 is counterbored to receive magnets 418 and 419, a non-magnetic washer 428, and a non-magnetic spacer '434. The magnet 418 is cemented or otherwise attached to the bottom of the counterbase of the shield 427 with glue indicated at 420. The washer 428 is supported on the axle pin 423 between the magnets 418 and 419. The magnet 419 is cemented to the spacer 434 and the spacer 434 is cemented to a cover 4 plate 426. The axle pin 423 passes through aligned holes of the boss 451 of the end shield 427, the magnet 418, the washer 428, the magnet 419, and the spacer 434 and threaded into the threaded bore of a counterbore 448 in the cover plate 426.

The roller die 412 is hollow and is counterbored at 453 to receive the cover plate 426. The cover plate 426 has a stepped peripheral portion received therein as shown in Fig. 13.

A screw 429 has a head 449 which is received in a counterbore 454 of the roller die 412 and is threadably received in a threaded hole 447 of the cover plate 426, thereby locking the roller die 412 and the cover plate 426 together. The screw 429 is held in locked position by a lock washer 430.

The roller die 412 is hollow with a closed end and has an elongated hole 455 machined through the peripheral wall of the roller die 412. The hole 455 receives a dater wheel barrel 443 which is held in an olf center relation to the roller die 412 by locking pins 444 which extend from holes in the roller die 412 through holes 445 in the dater wheel barrel 443 and into similar holes in the cover plate 426.

Dater wheels 436 have on their periphery the indicia AM. or P.M. The dater wheels 437 have the indicia for the hour thereon. Wheels 438 and 439 have the numerals corresponding to the day of the month. Wheels 440 have the month and wheels 441 and 442 have the numerals for the year. These dater wheels all have detent grooves 433. The wheels may be rotated around the dater wheel barrel 443. The dater wheel barrel 443 has holes 435 therein which receive detent springs 431 and detent balls 432'. The detent balls 432 are received in the detent grooves 433 of the dater wheels. The detent grooves 433 receive the balls 432 which stop the wheels in a desired position so that the wheels may be set to the proper year, month, day and AM. or P.M.

The dater wheels have engraved type indicated at 417 thereon which represent the aforementioned year, month, day, etc. for marking and cancelling stamps.

In operation, after the dater wheels have been set to a desired position, the stamp canceller will function in the same manner set forth in the preceding embodiments.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 15, a permanent magnet 518 is shown having poles N and S. The magnet 518 is generally of elliptical shape but, otherwise, similar to that shown in Fig. 12 and could be substituted for that magnet.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A stamping device comprising spaced supporting members, a roller having printing indicia on the outer periphery thereof rotatably supported between said supporting members, a disk shaped magnet attached to one end of said roller, and a disk shaped permanent magnet attached to one said supporting member, said magnets having spaced magnetic poles whereby said roller is urged by the action of one said magnetic pole on the other to move to a predetermined position.

2. The stamping device recited in claim 1 wherein said roller is unbalanced so that gravity forces it to return to said predetermined position.

3. A printing device comprising spaced supporting members, a roller having printing indicia on the outside thereof rotatably supported on said supporting members, and a permanent magnet and a magnetic member, one attached to one said supporting member and the other attached to said roller, said permanent magnet attracting said magnetic member whereby said roller is stopped in a predetermined position when said roller is free of engagement with any restraint.

4. A'printing device comprising a support, an axle on said support, a roller freely rotatable on said axle, a permanent magnet attached to said support, and a mag netic member attached to said roller, said magnet attracting said magnetic member to rotate it and return it to a predetermined position.

5. The-device recited in claim 4 wherein said roller is unbalanced which further aids said permanent magnet to return said roller to said predetermined position.

6. The device recited inclaim 4 wherein said magnet is in the form of a bar magnet attached to said support and said magnetic member is attached to said roller.

7. The device recited in claim 6 wherein said permanent magnet and said magnetic member are in the shape of disks disposed concentric to said roller, said disks being both magnetized one polarity at one edge and another polarity at an edge diametrically opposite said first mentioned edge.

8. The device recited in claim 7 wherein said support and said permanent magnet are both slotted and said slots slidably receive an end of said axle, an inking roll on said support, said axle sliding in said slots when said roller is forced into engagement with an article to be printed.

9. The device recited in claim 6 wherein said permanent magnet and said magnetic member are both in the form of disks and disposed concentric to said roller, said disks being both magnetized, said axle passing through said disks, and a radial slot cut in each said disk adjacent one edge thereof, said disks having one magnetic pole at one side of said slot and an opposite magnetic pole at the other. side of said slot.

10. The device recited in claim 9 wherein said magnetic member is permanently magnetized and said permanent magnet has a slot therein receiving said axle, an inking member on said support, said magnet allowing said roller to slide into engagement with said inking member.

11. A roller type cancelling device comprising a roll, a handle, said roll rotatably supported on said handle, a first permanent magnet supported on said handle and disposed adjacent the axis of rotation of said roll, and a second permanent magnet fixed to said roll and disposed on one end thereof, said first permanent magnet attracting said second permanent magnet when said roll is rotated on said handle away from a predetermined position whereby said roll is urged to rotate toward said predetermined position and held at said position.

12. The cancelling device recited in claim 11 wherein said permanent magnets are in the form of disks concentrically disposed relative to the axis of rotation of said roll and one edge of each said magnet has one polarity and the other edge has another polarity.

13. A roller type stamp comprising a roller having indicia thereon, a handle supporting said roller, said handle having spaced members thereon, an axle supporting said roller between said spaced members, a first disk shaped permanent magnet attached generally concentric to said roller, and a second disk shaped permanent magnet attached to said roller generally concentric to said axle and in spaced proximate relation to said first permanent magnet, said permanent magnets each having their poles disposed on opposite sides of said axle from each other, and indicia on the outer periphery of said roller.

14. The roller stamp recited in claim 13 wherein said handle has an end shield attached thereto with a laterally extending flange concentric to said axle and overlying said magnets.

15. The roller stamp recited in claim 14 wherein a spacer made of non-magnetic material is disposed between said second permanent magnet and said roller.

l 16. The roller stamp recited in claim 14 wherein a spacer made of non-magnetic material is disposed between said second permanent magnet and said roller, said roller being hollow with a hole cut in one side of the periphery thereof, a dater barrel supported in said hole, said barrel having one peripheral edge thereof extending outwardly from said hole beyond the outer periphery of said roller, and dater wheels rotatably supported on said barrel with said indicia on the periphery thereof.

17. The roller stamp recited in claim 13 wherein said handle has an end shield attached thereto with a laterally extending flange concentric to said axle and overlying said magnets, said roller being hollow with a hole cut in one side of the periphery thereof, a dater barrel supported in said hole, said barrel having one peripheral edge thereof extending outwardly from said hole beyond the outer periphery of said roller, and dater wheels rotatably supported on said barrel with said indicia on the periphery thereof.

18. A roller type stamp comprising a roller having indicia thereon, a handle supporting said roller, said handle having spaced members thereon, an axle supporting said roller between said spaced members, a first disk shaped permanent magnet attached generally concentric to said axle, a second disk shaped permanent magnet attached to said roller generally concentric to said axle in spaced proximate relation to said first permanent magnet, said permanent magnets each having their poles disposed on opposite sides of said axle from each other, indicia on the outer periphery of said roller, said roller being hollow with a hole cut in one side of the periphery thereof, a dater barrel supported in said hole, said barrel having one peripheral edge thereof extending outwardly from said hole beyond the outer periphery of said roller, and dater wheels rotatably supported on said barrel with said indicia on the periphery thereof.

19. A roller type stamp comprising a roller having indicia thereon, a handle supporting said roller, said handle having spaced members thereon, an axle supporting said roller between said spaced members, a first disk shaped permanent magnet attached generally concentric to said axle, a second disk shaped permanent magnet attached to said roller generally concentric to said axle in spaced proximate relation to said first permanent magnet, said permanent magnets each having their poles disposed on opposite sides of said axle from each other, indicia on the outer periphery of said roller, said roller being hollow with a hole cut in one side of the periphery thereof, a dater barrel supported in said hole, said barrel having one peripheral edge thereof extending outwardly from said hole beyond the outer periphery of said roller, dater wheels rotatably supported on said barrel with said indicia on the periphery thereof, said dater wheels having holes formed around the inside periphery thereof, and spring pressed detents engaging said holes and holding said dater wheels in position.

20. A roller type stamp comprising a roller having indicia thereon, a handle supporting said roller, said handle having spaced members thereon, an axle supporting said roller between said spaced members, a first disk shaped permanent magnet attached generally concentric to said axle, a second disk shaped permanent magnet attached to said roller generally concentric to said axle in spaced proximate relation to said first permanent magnet, said permanent magnets each having their poles disposed on opposite sides of said axle from each other, indicia on the outer periphery of said roller, said roller being hollow with a hole cut in one side of the periphery thereof, a dater barrel supported in said hole, said barrel having one peripheral edge thereof extending outwardly from said hole beyond the outer periphery of said roller, dater wheels rotatably supported on said barrel with said indicia on the periphery thereof, said dater wheels having holes formed around the inside periphery thereof, and spring pressed detents engaging said holes and holding said dater wheels in position, said barrel being held in position by means of spaced locking pins passing through said dater wheels and said barrel.

21. A roller type stamp comprising a roller having indicia thereon, a handle supporting said roller, said handle having spaced members, a first disk shaped permanent magnet attached to an axle, said axle supporting said roller between said spaced members, a second disk shaped permanent magnet attached to said roller generally concentric to said axle in spaced proximate relation to said first permanent magnet, said permanent magnets each having their poles disposed on opposite sides of said axle from each other, indicia on the-outer periphery of said roller, said roller being hollow with a hole cut in one side of the periphery thereof, a dater barrel supported in said hole, said barrel having one peripheral edge thereof extending outwardly from said hole beyond the outer periphery of said roller, dater wheels rotatably supported on said barrel with said indicia on the periphery thereof, and an inking roller rotatably supported between said spaced members, said spaced members having slots therein extending toward said inking roller, and said axle being disposed in said slots.

Pope Aug. 21, 1906 Breusch Nov. 8, 1927 

